1、概述
便条也是信件的一种形式。它的特征是内容简短，主要有临时性的询问、留言、公告、需要等。跟合法信件相比，便条的语言比较口头化，譬如要公告某事仅需如此开头：Just a line to tell you that而无须像合法信件那样This is to inform you that开头。另外，在便条中常出现省略现象，比如：key to back door is under mat1.或者key to back door under mat .（后门钥匙在垫子下面）代之以The key to the back door is under the mat.。
结束时也不需要结尾礼词，仅需写上写便条者名字。若是关系比较近的人，则仅需写上姓或名。
便条的日期一般写在右上角。一般只写上星期几或者星期几上午或下午，也可写上午、下午的具体时刻。平时应用中，写上什么时候几日的也非常常见。但一般不写年份，由于便条的内容多半是当日或日前内要办的事情。写便条时，不能事先筹备，因此无固定格式，大多用手写。
2、需要注意的地方
1.词句简洁，尽可能防止应酬语和各种敬词
2.切忌内容空洞、言不达意。
3、分类举例
1）请假（Asking for Leave）
例1
Directions：You are about to write a Business Leave Note of about 100 words. Please describe these information clearly.
1）the reason you ask for the leave
2）the time and how long you will leave
Class 4，Grade 3
Aug. 22nd
To Department Office
Secretary Li，
Im sorry to apply for ten days leave from the Aug. 23rd to sept，3rd instant2. As I have to leave with the time is urgent3. My father now in the hospital is badly ill. I have to go to see him and take care of him for a few days. You know Im the only child in my family. Of course I will show you the telegram4 about my fathers illness which is recieved from my mother to support my application.
As concern as the missed lessons during my absence，I promise I will do my best to catch them on after I come back to the campus5. Wish for your allowance6.
Yours respectfully7
*本文是一封请假条，一般大家要向上级或老师请假，一般用的是ack for leave这个短语，请三天假可写作：ask for three daysleave；因病请假则是ask for sick leave.leave在这里是名词使用方法，文中用的短语是apply for意为申请，含有愈加郑重的意味，常用于下级对上级或晚辈对长辈的书面语中，only child意为独生子女相应的，独生女译作only daughter而独生子译作only son。As concern as.后面跟名词性结构，意为涉及到，至于与Concerning赞同，两者可以互换。
例2
Directions：Your father is seriously ill，and you want to go back home. Write a note to the secretary and it should include.
1）the cause for leaving；
2）the days：from 16th to 21 st；
3）Catch on the lesson after returning school.
July 5th
Dear Miss Huang，
My sister called me last night，and she said that my father is dangerously ill. I beg to apply for seven daysleave of absence from 16th to 21st instant，in order that I can see my beloved8 father.
I should be much obliged9 if you would grant10 me my application. As regards the lessons to be missed during my absence，I will do my best to make up for them as soon as I get back from home.
Sincerely yours，
*本格式使用The Semi-indented Form（半缩进式），以前比较时尚，目前大家也继续使用。I should be much obliged if you would是一种客套语，表示结果，我当不胜感激。补课的英文是to make up for the lessons.as soon as意思是一就。
2）约请（Invitation）
例1
Directions：You have a ticket to the Russian National Ballet11 Troupe，which is visiting and you want to give it to your friend Alice. Write a note to her and say：
1）the time of the show，
2）the place where you will wait for her
You should write about 100 words.
Sunday
Dear Alice，
Here is a piece of good news for you. The Russian National Ballet Troupe，which is now on a visit in Beijing，will give a performance in the Beijing Grand12 Theater tomorrow evening. I am sure that you will be happy to watch it. Here I leave you an admission13 card. The performance will begin at seven oclock sharp. I will wait for you at the theater entrance. Please let me know whether you are prevented from coming or not.
*约朋友一块去看戏，可是朋友不在家，只好留下票子和一张便条，但又怕朋友来不了，所以在便条最后特地写上假如你来不了，告诉我一声（Please let me know whether you are prevented from coming）此文的wait for也可以用expect代替。
3）道歉（Apology）
人非圣贤，孰能无过。在社会交往中，大家常常会出现一些疏忽、过失等。假如发生此类事情，就会给他们带来麻烦和不便。为了防止误解，不影响感情，在这样的情况下，应写信给他们予以讲解，以请求谅解。
此类信要写得准时，态度要诚恳，用词需谦逊。一般在信刚开始就向他们表示歉意或内疚，然后说明缘由并提出弥补的方法。
例1
Directions：You have missed a date of your friend，now you have to write a letter for appologization in about 100 words.
May 20th
Dear Lily，
I am sorry I missed seeing you yesterday. I know that you must have been disappointed14. I also feel worried and anxious in my heart. The fact is that my manager at the last moment asked me to prepare a urgent plan while I could not get to a phone to call you and yesterday I have worked late until about 8：30 p. m. I am terribly sorry.
However，I would like to ask you out this weekend to make up for yesterday. Please give me a chance and I am waiting for your reply.
*临时有事未能赴约，必须要把事情讲解了解并真诚的道歉，最好能有弥补（to make up），就像这封信里所说的那样，邀请他们周末再碰头（I would like to ask you out this weekend）注意英文句子you must have been disappointed中情态动词的使用方法：情态动词+完成时态，表示过去行为。这句话应该理解为你当时肯定感到非常失望。
例2
Directions：You have received a invitation from your friend，but you have already had some guests in your house. Please express the reason you cant go clearly in about 100 words.
6.April
Dear Lucy，
I do appologize for having to send this letter about Saturday night.
When I accepted your invitation，I simply forgot that Saturday was a holiday and that my own guests were not leaving until Sunday morning. It is difficult for me to make a choice. Though I also wonder to meet you very much. I could not very well go out by myself and leave the guests at my home.
I hope you know how sorry I am not to be with you this Saturday. Should I make a visit to you in my other spare time？
Thank you very much.
*自家有客人，自然不便捷再同意其他人邀请去做客所以可以明正言顺的表示拒绝或可另约时间。英文要强调谓语动词，可以加上助动词，比如：
I do apologize for being late.
He did come yesterday.
例3
Directions：You are already have a date with your friend but suddenly have another thing to do and you have to tell your friend that you cant go. Express your reason clearly in about 100 words.
Monday 9：00 a.m
Dear Jane，
I am sorry to tell you that I wont be able to come this afternoon because I have to go to the airport at 2：00 p. m. to meet an overseas15 visitor from Australia. I really have kept our datd in my mind all these days，however，I received my bosse-mail this morning，he asked me to go to the airport to meet one of his friends from abroad，its suddenly and urgent and I must go. Please forgive me. Would you please ring me up to make another time？
Many thanks.
*因有事而不可以赴约，只能另约时间（to make或to fix another time）。写信人Bluce非常可能是英国人，由于他把打电话说成to ring somebody up，美国人一般说to call somebody.英国人打电话还可以说to give somebody a ring，不要错以为其他人要送你个戒指。与其他人已经定好的约会却临时不可以赴约时，应说明缘由并诚恳地道歉，以期获得其他人的谅解。
4）借物（Borrowing）
例
Directions：You are going to write a note for borrowing sth. please deseribe these information clearly.
1）the thing you ask
2）detailed what you are going to do with it.
3）how long will you take it.
Tuesday
Dear Xiao Wang：
I wonder if I could borrow your electronic16 dictionary for a few days. Now I am translating some important articles. There are many new words which I have to look up the dictionary usually. I just have a paper dictionary but of course its not as convenient17 as the electronic one，which has a bad effect upon my velocity18 of my translating. So I think your electonic dictionary is more suitable19 for me to complete my work. I promise that I must be very careful of your dictionary and make no damage done on it. Thank you very much！
Yours ever
*字典是大家日常常见的学习工具，但千万不可以直接从字面上觉得查字典就是check the dictionary，而应该用look up这个固定短语来表达。
影响有一个非常地道的短语。have effect upon/on，后面同意影响的人或物，若是积极影响就在have和effect之间加a good，反之，就加a bad其他的形容词比如great，remarkable也可以用来修饰effect，此词在这里是名词。
5）回复友人问侯（Reply for Regards）
例
Directions：You ave just had a operation，and received a note of regards from your friend Jenny. Now please write a reply to her to tell her your current20 situation.
You should write about 100 words.
Jan.8th.
Dear Jenny，
Thanks for your letter of sympthy I received the day before yesterday. The operation on my leg was a wonderful success. You know I had been suffering a lot from my leg since my childhood. The operation removed the cause of trouble. It is quite worth having the operation. I am daily recovering from my illness. Im confident I will soon be in the office again after proper treatment. Thank you for kind wishes.
My best wishes to all your family
*这是对好友问侯便条的回复。形式简单，内容明了。过去完成进行时I had been sufferingmy childhood表示动作从过去一直持续到目前。
